Post on 29-Dec-2015
Constitution
• Article 1: CONGRESS– Section 1 - all legislative powers to Congress– Section 2 - Choosing of Representatives
• elections every two years
• minimum age: 25
• apportionment: every 10 years
• 3/5 compromise
• House chooses speaker
• House has sole power of impeachment
Constitution
• Article I– Section 3: Senate
• six year terms• three “classes”: 1/3 of Senate elected every 2 years• minimum age: 30• Vice-President is President of the Senate
– Votes only in tiebreak situations
• Tries impeachments– Chief Justice of Supreme Court presides over impeachments
Constitution
• Article 1– Section 4: elections to Congress
• State Legislatures decide
• Congress to meet at least once annually
– Section 5• majority necessary for a quorum
• may expel members with 2/3 vote
• votes recorded if 1/5 of members request
• while in session, cannot adjourn for more than 3 days without consent of other chamber
Constitution
• Article 1– Section 6: compensation
• Prohibition against holding concurrent offices
– Section 7• Tax bills must begin in House
• All bills must pass House, Senate, and president must sign
• Veto power for president– Congress may override with 2/3 of both chambers
Constitution• Article 1
– Section 8: Congressional powers• taxation• borrow money• regulate interstate commerce• coin money• establish Post office • establish courts• declare war• provide and maintain a navy• necessary and proper (elastic) clause
Constitution
• Article 1– Section 9: Restrictions on Congress
• Writ of habeus corpus shall not be suspended except under emergency situations
• No bills of attainder or ex post facto laws
• No taxes on goods exchanged between states
• No funds appropriated without a law
• No titles of nobility to be granted
Constitution
• Article II: PRESIDENCY– Section 1
• executive power• selection of electors to electoral college
– # of Representatives + 2
• minimum age: 35 years• natural-born citizen• succession to Vice-President in case of death, disability• compensation
Constitution• Article II
– Section 2• President as commander in chief
• Power to make treaties with Senate approval
• Appoint ambassadors, cabinet, judges
– Section 3• State of the Union - “from time to time”
• recommend measures to Congress
• convene Congress into special session
• receive ambassadors
– Section 4• Impeachment: treason, bribery, other high crimes and misdemeanors
Constitution
• Article III: COURTS– Section 1
• Supreme Court, life appointment
– Section 2: • jurisdiction: cases between states, federal government and
states, foreign states• jury trials
– Section 3• treason requires at least 2 witnesses• only person found guilty may be held responsible
Constitution
• Article IV: FULL FAITH & CREDIT– Section 1
• State recognition of other states’ acts, laws, records
– Section 2• privileges and immunities
– Section 3• Admitting new states into Union: Congress
– Section 4• each state entitled to a republican form of government
Constitution
• Article V: AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION– two-thirds of both chambers of Congress, three-
fourths of state-legislatures ratify– two-thirds of states call for a convention, three-
fourths ratify
Constitution
• Bill of Rights– First 10 Amendments – Amendment 1 (1791)
• no laws respecting establishment of religion; free exercise; freedom of speech, press; peaceful assembly; petitioning government
– Amendment 2 (1791)• keep and bear arms
– Amendment 3 (1791)• quartering of soldiers
Constitution
• Bill of Rights– Amendment 4 (1791)
• unreasonable searches and seizures
– Amendment 5 (1791)• self incrimination, double-jeopardy; due process of
law; capital crimes & grand jury; “takings”
– Amendment 6 (1791)• speedy trial; jury of peers; right to confront accuser;
assistance of counsel
Constitution
• Bill of Rights– Amendment 7 (1791)
• jury trial
– Amendment 8 (1791)• excessive bail; cruel and unusual punishment
– Amendment 9 (1791)• rights in constitution do not deny rights of others
– Amendment 10 (1791)• powers not delegated by the Constitution are retained by
the states or the people
Constitution
• Other Amendments– Amendment 12 (1804)
• selection of president and vice president
– Amendment 13 (1865)• abolition of slavery
– Amendment 14 (1865)• citizenship; no state can deprive of life, liberty, property
without due process of law
– Amendment 15 (1870)• voting rights of citizens regardless of race, color
Constitution
• Other Amendments– Amendment 16 (1913)
• income tax
– Amendment 17 (1913)• direct election of Senators
– Amendment 18 (1919)• prohibition of liquor (later repealed)
– Amendment 19 (1920)• women’s right to vote
Constitution
• Other Amendments– Amendment 20 (1933)
• Terms of President/Vice President start on January 20
• Presidential succession; provision for congressional statute
– Amendment 21 (1933)• repeal of Amendment 18 (prohibition)
– Amendment 22 (1951)• president can only serve two terms
Constitution• Other Amendments
– Amendment 23 (1961)• District of Columbia/electoral college representation
– Amendment 24 (1964)• elimination of poll tax
– Amendment 25 (1967)• presidential disability
– Amendment 26 (1971)• voting for 18 year-olds
– Amendment 27 (1992)• compensation for members of Congress/pay raises